Remote working attributed to increase in cyber attacks

NAIROBI, KENYA: Kenyans faced an increasingly hostile online working environment as the number of cyber threats shot up last year, new official data shows.

According to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), cybercriminals took advantage of more people working from home to launch attacks, with many using less sophisticated security systems.

The number of cyber threats detected in the quarter to December 2020, the regulator said on Tuesday, stood at 56 million, a 60 per cent increase from 35 million threats reported in the quarter to September.

CA said cyber threats surged as organisations embraced remote working, exposing their data to risks such as the use of personal devices to access official networks.

“While cyber threats are not new, and pose great risks to society, the economy, and to our children, the Covid-19 pandemic has simply exacerbated the magnitude of this challenge,” said Acting CA Director General Mercy Wanjau.

“Throughout this Covid-19 crisis, cybercriminals have unleashed all manner of attacks, including fraud, phishing, extortion and increased ransomware that have compromised critical ICT systems.”

At 56 million, the number of cyber threats is also substantially higher compared to 13.9 million cases detected in the quarter to June.

Wanjau noted that a majority of the threats were malware attacks at 46 million followed by web application attacks at 7.8 million, while there were 2.2 million threats of distributed denial of service (DDos).

“In partnership with DCI (Directorate of Criminal Investigations) and other enforcement agencies, we have had some success… so far, we have many convictions. We will take it to the rightful end,” she said.

Wanjau spoke at the Safer Internet Day, where the telecommunications industry regulator together with other players sensitised the public on safe practices, especially for children.

CA, together with local telecommunications service providers, launched a portal aimed at creating a safer online environment for children. The move is in addition to the Child Online Protection (COP) initiative rolled out five years ago.

“Abuse and exploitation of children is unacceptable and should generally not be protected even by free speech principles. In the Internet world, further protections are also needed to shield children from predators who may contact them through deceptive enticements in online forums,” said Muareen Mbaka chief administrative secretary (CAS) ICT Ministry.

She added that with more institutions as well as processes going online, there is a likelihood of growth in the number of cyber threats.

“Expectedly, as ICTs have become more pervasive and widely integrated with various sectors of the economy, the menace of cybercrime has continued to rise at a corresponding scale…. if the experience is anything to go by, the upcoming referendum and 2022 elections will witness an upsurge in hate speech online, and other forms of cybercrime in the country…. the complex and borderless nature of the Internet calls for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to secure the cyber space.”